DOTC orders LTO: Delay enforcement of helmet law

MANILA, Philippines - The Department of Transportation and Communications (DOTC) ordered the Land Transportation Office (LTO) yesterday to defer the enforcement of the Motorcycle Helmet Act of 2009 (Republic Act 10054).

In a statement, the DOTC said the decision to defer was in line with the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) request to give them more time to inspect all the helmets coming into the country. 

The DTI wants to ensure that all the helmets bear the Import Commodity Clearance (ICC) seal issued by the Bureau of Product Standards, the DOTC said.

The DTI asked the DOTC to give its personnel until the end of the year to complete the inspection before the helmet law and its implementing rules and regulations (IRR) are enforced nationwide, the DOTC said.

Motorcyle owners are protesting against the long queues they have to suffer at DTI offices just to register their helmets and the P300 registration fee they will be charged.

Hundreds of motorcycle owners have been flocking to DTI offices nationwide for the past few days after the DTI announced that motorcyclists can register their helmets for free if they do so before Aug. 1.

DOTC Secretary Manuel Roxas II said the DOTC will make sure that the implementation of the law will be orderly and aboveboard. 

The DOTC earlier said that from Aug. 1 until the end of the year, the LTO should conduct a public information campaign on the helmet law and penalize motorcyclists without ICC-approved helmets starting Jan. 1, 2013.

The IRR also penalizes firms that produce or sell sub-standard helmets and those not bearing the requisite seals.